Americans United - Associated Baptist Presshttps://www.au.org/tags/associated-baptist-press
enDecalogue Decision: Baptists Urge Gov. Henry To Veto Commandments Billhttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/decalogue-decision-baptists-urge-gov-henry-to-veto-commandments-bill
<a href="/about/people/joseph-l-conn">Joseph L. Conn</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">&quot;Religion flourishes best when the separation of church and state is protected.&quot;
--Holly Hollman, BJC General Counsel</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>The Religious Right would have us think that only atheists support the separation of church and state. In fact, thoughtful believers and non-believers alike back this basic principle of American life.</p>
<p>Consider the battle over a proposed Ten Commandments monument at the State Capitol in Oklahoma. The legislature there has approved <a href="http://www.normantranscript.com/localnews/local_story_132012613">a measure mandating</a> the display of a Protestant version of the Decalogue.</p>
<p>As you might expect, <a href="http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2009/05/au-urges-oklahoma-governor-to.html">Americans United </a>and the state ACLU have spoken against this clear governmental preference for one faith over others. But so have many religious leaders.</p>
<p>For example, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC) issued <a href="http://www.bjcpa.org/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=2414&amp;Itemid=112">a statement</a> yesterday urging Gov. Brad Henry to veto this misguided bill.</p>
<p>A Commandments display at the Capitol would "send a message of exclusion to those who do not share the Judeo-Christian tradition and a message of favoritism to those who do," the BJC insisted.</p>
<p>"We should be more concerned with following the Ten Commandments rather than merely posting them on government property," said BJC General Counsel Holly Hollman. "Religion flourishes best when the separation of church and state is protected."</p>
<p>Baptists in Oklahoma are speaking out too.</p>
<p>The Rev. Bruce Prescott, executive director of Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists, told the Associated Baptist Press (ABP) that the Commandments bill <a href="http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=4071&amp;Itemid=53">sends a heavy-handed message</a> to minorities that the state favors the majority faith.</p>
<p>"They're just making a statement; they're trying to do the best they can to make sure that everyone knows that Oklahoma endorses a Christian text," Prescott said. "Now, they'll say it's 'Judeo-Christian,' but you'll tell from the interpretation they put up on the monument that it's not Jewish; it's the Christian version. And it's going to be Protestant; it's not Catholic. In one fell swoop, they can take care of all their prejudices."</p>
<p>Gov. Henry is a member of the First Baptist Church of Shawnee, Okla. According to the ABP, he has served as a deacon and a Sunday school teacher.</p>
<p>Let's hope he listens to the wise counsel from his co-religionists and not to the Religious Right activists in the legislature who are pushing this measure for deplorable political reasons.</p>
<p>Gov. Henry, do the right thing. Veto this bill!</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/religious-mottos-pledges-and-resolutions">Religious Mottos, Pledges and Resolutions</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/associated-baptist-press">Associated Baptist Press</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/baptist-joint-committee-religious-liberty">Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/gov-brad-henry">Gov. Brad Henry</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/mainstream-oklahoma-baptists">Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/oklahoma">Oklahoma</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ten-commandments">ten commandments</a></span></div></div>Wed, 13 May 2009 15:27:46 +0000Joseph L. Conn1567 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/decalogue-decision-baptists-urge-gov-henry-to-veto-commandments-bill#comments